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The Fermilab ARISE Project

Debates on Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology

Project Synopsis

Scenario

References

Student Pages

Index

Description: In teams, students will debate ethical issues in these areas with students of different ethnic, cultural, or religious backgrounds via the internet. They will also use the internet to research these topics using teacher suggested websites and experts as starting points. Students will develop evaluation criteria to do peer evaluation of the finished debate.

Subject:Honors Biology

Grade Level: eighth

Learner Description: Gifted students from a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds and students of specified backgrounds from other schools.

Time Frame: At the beginning of the school year the teacher contacts/invites schools from all over to participate in this project. At the beginning of the second semester:1day to introduce, 3-4 days to meet cooperating schools and do research, 1 day to write evaluation criteria, 3 - 4 days to debate and peer evaluate.

Learner Outcomes:

• Students will know more about contemporary issues about which they will have to make decisions (vote?) as adults.
  
• Students will identify their own views based on information and logic, ultimately understanding themselves better.
  
• Students will learn to communicate their own views and learn about others' views in a fair and respectful manner.
  
• Students will recognize that its a small world after all.